Shades of Grey
by LittleWhiskeyGirl
Summary: When Hermione is forced to interview Lucius Malfoy in prison, they find more in common than either could have expected. When Malfoy escapes from Azkaban he goes to the one witch that he thinks can protect him.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: It's been a long time since I tried my hand at writing fan fiction, so please bear with me. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update, but as I'm currently unemployed, it might be fairly regularly. I would deeply appreciate any reviews/ reactions. Enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters or this world. I'm just twisting them for my own enjoyment!

* * *

Sitting at her desk in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Hermione Granger wondered how her life had come down to this pathetic routine of paper pushing. Once hailed as the 'Smartest Witch of the Age' and the 'Brains of the Golden Trio' she had expected more excitement in her life. As an idealistic eighteen year old, still high on the defeat of Voldemort and hoping for justice for all Death Eaters, she had accepted the job with visions of grand trials and life sentences in Azkaban for the guilty.

The reality was much less exciting. The first year after the downfall of Voldemort was exactly what Hermione had dreamed of. She captured and prosecuted as many Death Eaters as she could. But eventually there were no more to catch, and with that came the desk and the paperwork. Filling out endless forms for instances of Underage Wizardry, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, and Use of Magic in Front of Muggles, was what her life had come down to for the past five years.

At the end of each day, Hermione went home to an empty apartment, ate takeout, and went to bed early with a good book. The Wizarding world had been shocked when, less than a year after Voldemort's defeat, Ron Weasley had abandoned their budding relationship to run off with suspected Death Eater Pansy Parkinson. Hermione hadn't hear from him since. She would lie awake in bed at night wondering about the children that they could have had, and the life they would have had together.

She wasn't entirely alone however, she spent a great deal of time with Harry and Ginny Potter, and was a frequent guest at their home on the weekends. She was asked out on dates and sometimes she even went. But for the most part, her existence was a lonely one, despite the fact that she would never acknowledge it.

As she was lost in thought about what her life had become she heard a knock on her office door.

"Come in," she replied to the knock. Kingsley Shacklebolt, her boss, walked in.

"Hermione, excellent to see you, how have you been?"

"I'm doing well sir, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I have rather a large favor to ask of you. As you are aware, it's been five years since the incarceration of the most powerful Death Eaters, and some of them have just come up for parole. I need someone I can trust to go to Azkaban and do preliminary interviews for the hearings. The Wizengamot will only hear those who you believe are sincerely rehabilitated."

"How many are up for parole? And who are they?"

"There are five up for parole, and the Wizengamot only wants two or three hearings at the most. If you don't believe that any of them deserve a hearing, that is entirely within your discretion. The five are; Alecto Carrow, Gregory Goyle, Portia Parkinson, and Antonin Dolohov"

"Kingsley, I'm not in the mood for games, who is the fifth?"

"I don't mean to play games Hermione, but we're worried that you won't take the assignment based on the identity of the fifth Death Eater… It's Lucius Malfoy."

"Malfoy?! He was given a life sentence! He shouldn't even be eligible for parole for another twenty years, and even that is just a formality!"

"I realize that Hermione, I helped you to prosecute him. But as Minister for Magic, I have a great deal more responsibility than just prosecuting criminals. The Malfoy family is very old and powerful, and I need the support of Purebloods for some legislation that I want to push through."

"I should have known this was all about your power grubbing, there's no way that Malfoy has been rehabilitated enough to warrant his release from Azkaban!"

"I'm going to leave that call with you Hermione, but remember this conversation if you intend to return to your job here after you get back from the interviews at Azkaban. I want you to leave immediately, I'm afraid I can't give you any time to discuss this assignment with anyone until after you've returned."

"So you're giving me no choice. Might I have an hour to collect my thoughts and make a list of things that will automatically discount them from being considered for a hearing?"

"I'm sorry, you must go now. But if they use the word 'mud blood' in reference to you, or if they glorify their time with Voldemort in any way, you may automatically disqualify them. The obvious exception being…"

"… Malfoy. I've got it."

* * *

The trip to Azkaban wasn't as strenuous as Hermione had expected, but her mind had been full the entire way there. If she had any intention of returning to her position at the Ministry she would have to grant Lucius Malfoy a hearing with the Wizengamot. As she approached the island, she came to the conclusion that she would interview the man before she made her decision. She also chose to speak with him last, because she didn't want to cloud her impressions of the others with the anger that she was sure to feel with him.

She started with Mr. Goyle, who was disqualified from the start by calling her 'Mudblood' and saying that he wished that Voldemort had killed her when he had the chance.

Her interview with Mrs. Parkinson went better, she lasted almost fifteen minutes of questioning before she told Hermione that the world would be better without mudbloods and blood traitors, and that her master would have made sure of that. She then ridiculed Hermione for having been left by Ron, for Pansy.

Alecto Carrow was as kind as could be expected under the circumstances and didn't do anything to get immediately disqualified, but Hermione felt so uncomfortable with the gleam in Carrow's eyes that she couldn't grant a hearing to the Death Eater.

She was starting to feeling discouraged and worried that she would have to return to the Ministry with the news that it was impossible to rehabilitate a Death Eater. She knew better than to expect Mr. Malfoy of having changed, but she still had Dolohov to interview. As the dementors led her to his cell, she finally began to feel the effects of proximity to the creatures.

"Antonin Dolohov?" she called out into the cell. A ragged man walked forward, stumbling as he did so. She beckoned him to follow her to the interrogation room. "Mr. Dolohov, I assume that you know why I am here?"

"Yes," he breathed, "My parole hearing"

"That is correct. I'm here for a preliminary interview, if I decide that you deserve it, you will be granted a hearing before the Wizengamot. Can you tell me why you believe that you have been rehabilitated to the point of being released?"

"I haven't been. I haven't received any rehabilitation at all. I've just been stuck in hell for five years"

"Can you elaborate on that please?" Hermione was surprised to hear that Dolohov didn't feel as though he deserved to be released.

"Now look here, I see that look on your face, it's not that I don't think that I should be released, because I do. I don't feel that I've receive the tools I need to properly rehabilitate myself here in Azkaban. I've spent five years having the joy sucked out of me by dementors. I haven't been allowed to learn and grow from my mistakes."

"Do you believe that the time that you spent as a minion of Voldemort to be a mistake?"

"Of course. I chose the wrong side, out of fear. The Dark Lord can be very persuasive, particularly to those who have families. Just look at Malfoy."

"Lucius Malfoy?"

"Yes. His son, Draco, was forced into a plot to murder Dumbledore, when he had no hope of success as a punishment for Lucius being caught and sent here before the end of the war."

"Do you see Lucius Malfoy as a victim of Voldemort's machinations?"

"Oh hell no, I see Draco as the victim. Lucius is as dark as they come. He was interested in Dark Magic long before the Dark Lord recruited him."

"You speak familiarly of Malfoy, were you friends at school?"

"We were the same age, and we were both in Slytherin, but I don't think Malfoy has had a friend in his life. If not for the Dark Lord, I've often wondered if Malfoy would have been the Darkest Wizard of the Age."

"You have been helpful Dolohov. I will consider you for a parole hearing, which is more than I can say for the others I've interviewed here today. Is there anything else you would like me to consider?"

"I don't know why you were so curious about Lucius Malfoy, but I have to warn you, if you are interviewing him as well. Even the Dark Lord referred to Malfoy as 'his slippery friend', he can make you believe any lie. If you grant Lucius a meeting with the Wizengamot, he will surely be released. Even from Azkaban he wields a great amount of power. Be thorough when interviewing him, you're likely the only trial he will receive."

"Thank you Mr. Dolohov. I will remember your advice. The dementors will return you to your cell." She waited for Dolohov to leave before she slumped against the table. She had known that Lucius was likely to be freed by the Wizengamot, but to hear it so bluntly from a former Death Eater was unsettling.

She knew that Malfoy had a private cell, so she wouldn't be interviewing him in the interrogation room. The dementors led her to the maximum security wing where he was being kept, and with each step she felt more dread. She knew that she could simply dismiss Malfoy, but that would mean losing her job, and as miserable as it was, she needed to put food on the table. By the time she reached the cell where Malfoy was being kept, she could barely hear over the pounding of her heart. She dismissed the dementors after they had unlocked the cell, and told them not to return for an hour. She was sure she would need the extra time with Malfoy to discern fact from fiction. She walked into the cell and heard the voice from within, raspy and low,

"Hello, Miss Granger."


	2. Chapter 2

_"Hello, Miss Granger"_

Hermione heard him before she saw him. As he stepped into the light from her wand, she couldn't believe the changes that five years had wrought in the man. Her last memory of him was as an impeccably dressed man sitting in the chained chair on trial before the Wizengamot, his long blond hair clean and straight, his broad shoulders exuding pride and power. He looked as though he didn't care whether he was convicted or cleared of charges.

The man in the cell bore almost no resemblance to the handsome dark wizard of five years ago. His hair had been cut off and was dirty. He wore rags which hung on his emaciated body. He smelled like he hadn't had a bath for the whole of the time he was in prison. Even his face looked defeated, his eyes sunken and his cheeks hollow. Only his proud shoulders remained of the man who had terrified her as a child.

"Mr. Malfoy. Do you know why I'm here?"

"I'm sure I don't know Miss Granger. Perhaps the Ministry has decided to send someone else to torture me, as the dementors have done all that they can to remind me of the hell that has been my life." He spoke raspily, as though he couldn't quite remember how. Hermione saw an advantage in Malfoy's not knowing that he was up for parole. She decided to keep him in the dark for the remainder of the interview.

"You are correct that the Ministry sent me, Mr. Malfoy, but I'm not here to torture you, just to ask you a few questions."

"Ask away. Miss Granger."

"Do you feel as though you've been rehabilitated by your time here in Azkaban?"

"Never lead with such a loaded question Miss Granger. The subject of your interrogation doesn't trust you yet. You need to build up a rapport with the dark and evil before they will answer you honestly. You should have asked me about Narcissa and Draco."

Deciding to play along with Malfoy's strange game, she asked him about his wife and son.

"Narcissa has divorced me. Thank you for asking. And Draco… well he's pretending that I don't exist." Malfoy didn't look upset by these revelations, but Hermione was fascinated. She knew that Narcissa and Draco had been cleared by the Wizengamot for their actions during the final battle.

"I'm sorry about your family Mr. Malfoy. Would you like to talk about it, I'm sure no one else has been willing to listen these long five years"

"Good, Miss Granger, very good, keep the subject believing that you care. I am uninterested in discussing Draco with you, but I will tell you about my divorce. It's such a pathetic tale, I'm sure it will rouse your sympathies. As you are intimately aware, Narcissa saved the life of your friend Potter in the final battle, and because of this she was cleared of all charges. I, however, was not heroic in any manner, I simply stood off to the side while others were killed… and tortured."

"I'm well aware that you stood by as Bellatrix Lestrange performed the Cruciatus Curse on me, and my friends. Unless you plan on rousing my sympathies soon, I'm going to have to insist that we continue with the interview." Hermione interrupted his tale.

"Soon, Miss Granger, as I was saying, she was cleared and I was convicted for a life sentence here. After the trial, as I was being ushered away, we were allowed five minutes alone before I was taken to prison. Instead of weeping and forswearing all others, she told me that she was leaving me for another. She had been planning for my eventual arrest for the year between the final battle and when I was finally carted off to Azkaban. I believe you of all people, Miss Granger, realize that pain that comes from the one you love leaving you for another."

"I do know the pain, Mr. Malfoy, but that is hardly applicable to this interview. I must ask you again, if you feel that you've been rehabilitated by your time here."

"I will answer you this time. I don't know if Azkaban is really made for rehabilitation however. Those who enter here, if they ever come out, only do so with much emotional scarring. Unless they don't have a heart and soul to be scarred. I don't feel that I have learned anything from my time here, except to avoid being caught."

"Do you believe that you 'have no heart and soul'?"

"I have killed, Miss Granger, killed and tortured, I have been begged for mercy which I never granted. I could kill you right now and not feel a shade of remorse."

"You didn't answer my question" Hermione interrupted him again

"I was getting there. I do believe that I have a heart, and a soul. I'm just concerned for the state that they might be in. I may have done irreparable harm to them."

"Do you regret the acts that you have committed?"

"Regret is a funny thing, at this moment, I wish that I was free more than anything. So yes, I wish that I hadn't done what I did, but if I had the chance to do it all over, I might hurt those people again. I don't trust this regret to overpower the lust for the dark side that I have felt through my life."

"If you were released tomorrow, Mr. Malfoy, would you revert to your old ways?"

Lucius had no way of knowing that the way he answered this question could determine whether he would ever see the outside of a prison cell again, so he responded as honestly as he could think to.

"I believe that I would, Miss Granger. Before you jump up on your high horse though, let me explain. I would never crawl before another being ever again. I will never demean myself before another, or commit acts in his name. I would continue to speak out against Muggleborns and will always think myself of a high class than Muggles. I cannot change what I am Miss Granger."

"Answer me this then Mr. Malfoy, If I were to hand you my wand right now, would you kill me? I am a muggleborn. I'm a second class citizen. Do you find me worthy of life? Do you think that you can make that judgement?"

"I would not kill you Miss Granger. I could never hurt _you_."

"Why not me, why Ted Tonks? Why Amelia Bones? Why Hannah Abbott? What makes me different from any of them?" Hermione burst out in anger. She didn't understand the workings of the mad mind that Lucius Malfoy possessed. He didn't respond for several moments.

"You have a brilliant mind Miss Granger. You are also incredibly beautiful. I wouldn't kill you because I would want to keep you. The Dark Lord was a half blood you know? If I were free, at this very moment, I would want you to join with me. We could be great you know."

"For the purposes of this interview, I'm going to pretend that you didn't just invite me to join with you in a Dark Revolution."

"I know that you would never join with me. But can you imagine just for a moment, what it would feel like to be powerful?" His eyes drilled holes into hers, forcing her to think about what he had said.

She could see herself in black robes, legions of followers obeying her every word. Lucius Malfoy at her side, looking as he had before his stint in Azkaban. Their wands out and crossed, ready to destroy anyone who dared to threaten their power. She was momentarily seduced by the image in her head, but she shook it off as she looked into the triumphant eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

"I would never join you! I couldn't kill and torture those who didn't join me. I don't believe in the things that you believe in."

"Oh my girl, I saw the look in your eyes. You might not be willing to do what you see as evil, but I know that you crave power. You would see it as an opportunity to do the things that you are too weak to do as a mere member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Can I hazard a guess as to your routine? I believe that this trip to Azkaban is the most excitement you've had in years. Since my trial in fact."

Hermione felt as though she was losing control of the interview. She suddenly understood what Dolohov had meant when he said that Voldemort had called Lucius his 'slippery friend'. Malfoy could surely turn any conversation to his benefit. Deciding not to respond to his allegations about her life, she simply asked another question.

"If you were required to apologize to the families that you have broken, as a condition of release, would you be willing to do so?"

"I would do anything to ensure my freedom. Absolutely anything."

"You say that, but just moments ago you said that if you were freed you would return to your old ways. What if a condition of your release was that you could not associate with any former colleagues, that you could not even leave your home? Would you be interested in release under those circumstances?"

"What would stop me from practicing the dark arts within my home? From inviting Death Eaters to commune with me there? From starting an army within the Manor?"

"Would you swear the Unbreakable Vow?"

"No, Miss Granger, I would never swear the Unbreakable Vow under any circumstances. It is foolish in the extreme."

"Why do you say that?"

"Here in Azkaban, I'm locked up, but I'm alive, I have hope. The Unbreakable Vow is as much of a prison, but it ends in a horrible death, should you break it, even unintentionally. I would never subject myself to that."

"I confess, you surprise me Malfoy. I would have expected that from you, but for different reasons. Most wouldn't even consider life in prison as opposed to following the letter of a vow. But your reasons are selfish, aren't they Malfoy? You'd prefer a quiet death in a prison cell to a painful death by breaking a vow."

"I make no secret of that fact. I'm not ashamed by it either. You can't convince me to take an Unbreakable Vow through offering me pretty pictures of freedom."

"What would you do to be free Mr. Malfoy? I mentioned house arrest, would that be acceptable to you, I would have to seal your house and you wouldn't have a wand, but would you agree to those terms?"

"I would. Why are you here Miss Granger? Are you just tempting me with forbidden fruit or are you authorized to spring me from this prison?"

"I'm here as part of your parole hearing Mr. Malfoy. If I so deem, you can receive a parole hearing with the Wizengamot, who as I'm sure you realize, are being pushed by the Minister to release you. My own career was threatened…" Hermione broke off as she realized that she had revealed too much to the man.

"Well dare I hope that I've made a favorable enough impression on you to allow me a hearing?" Lucius smirked at her, knowing full well that she had been unimpressed by his glorification of the Dark Arts, but also realizing that she was put in a difficult position by the Minister.

"I will consider the matter Mr. Malfoy. Do you have anything further that you'd like to tell me, to sway me to your favor?"

"Miss Granger, please consider the feeble bones of the old man in front of you. I don't know if I can survive in these Spartan conditions."

"Your false protestations won't sway me Malfoy, you are no more an old man than I am. Enjoy your stay in Azkaban." Hermione turned on her heel and swept toward the door to the cell. She rapped on it until the dementors returned to let her out. She heard the raspy voice behind her once more,

"Don't turn away from me Granger. I swear you'll regret it if you don't do everything in your power to get me out of this hole!"

His final words scared her, but cemented her belief that he was not to be trusted, even under house arrest. She knew what she had to do, but she was terrified to do it.

________________________________________________________________________

Hermione returned directly to the Ministry of Magic, before the work day was over. Instead of going to her own office, she went up to the office of the Minister where she knocked three times on the door.

"Come in," she heard Kingsley's voice from inside the room, and she opened the door. "Ah Hermione, it's good to see you back and looking well. How was your visit to Azkaban?"

"As good as could have been expected Minister. I have one candidate to recommend for a hearing with the Wizengamot."

"I trust it is the matter we discussed before you left?"

"I'm sorry Minister. The only prisoner that I believe has been rehabilitated enough to warrant parole is Antonin Dolohov. The other four prisoners either bandied stories about the glory days, or spoke casually about their plans to become the next Dark Leader. I cannot in good conscience allow any of them a parole hearing."

"I'm disappointed Miss Granger. I truly thought that I could trust you with something of this importance. I would like you gone from the Ministry directly. Take nothing with you. Unless you would like to change your mind?"

"No Minister. Being jobless is a better alternative than seeing Lucius Malfoy crown himself Dark Lord. I'll leave now. And I won't tell anyone what transpired here. I can only hope that you find better candidates for trust in the future."

She left Kingsley's office then and closed the door behind her. She felt good and horrid at the same time. She was scared of not making her rent and of not finding another job, but she was most scared of the threat the Lucius had made as she left his cell. She was she he wouldn't get out, but if anyone could survive Azkaban and escape, it was Lucius Malfoy.

________________________________________________________________________

Lucius sat in his cell, alone and surrounded by his bad memories as the dementors swirled. He knew that he had to hide his thoughts until they finished rounds and left him free to comtemplate his plans. He used Occlumency against the dementors, not allowing them to take the few happy memories and thoughts that he still had.

He counted his visit with Hermione Granger as the happiest of his memories for the last five years. Not that beating out playtime with dementors was a hard task. She had spark and fire and she was absolutely brilliant, exactly the type of partner that Lucius needed for his plans to take control of the Wizarding World in a way that Voldemort had never dreamed of. The Dark Lord had conquered through fear and pain, Lucius would conquer through charm and trickery.

He began to formulate the plan as a way to get through the lonely nights, but with the visit from Granger, he thought about actual details. Her slip that the Minister would fire her if she didn't recommend Lucius for parole was useful. He was sure that she would allow him a parole hearing, and even if she didn't, the Minister obviously wanted him out of Azkaban. He didn't want to wait for an interminable amount of time before the Wizengamot chose to hear his case though. The Minister wouldn't care to hunt him if he was planning to free him anyway.

Lucius Malfoy was going to escape from Azkaban.


	3. Chapter 3

_Lucius Malfoy was going to escape from Azkaban._

He didn't know how to manage it, but it was something that needed to happen if he was going to get a start on his world conquest plans. He knew that it was possible, Sirius Black had managed, but Lucius didn't know how he had done it.

There were several possibilities that he could think of, most of which involved wandless magic of some sort. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he needed to communicate with the dementors.

He had read more books on Dark Magic than any other wizard currently living. He knew curses that were beyond even Unforgivable status. He also had been the Dark Lord's first lieutenant for years. He had seen firsthand how to communicate with dementors, what they would respond to.

His plan hinged around the nightly rounds that the creatures performed. He would need to get their attention, a wandless Patronus would prove his worthiness. He spent the rest of the afternoon refreshing his memory of the language of Dementors and gathering his happiest thoughts.

That evening, Lucius positioned himself near the door of his cell, preparing for when the dementors would open the slat to send his food in. At that precise moment, he yelled, "_Expecto Patronum!_" and a serpent blasted out of his fingertips.

The dementors went wild for several minutes, and after a short time, one dementor swirled into Lucius' cell. Lucius was ready for him.

"_I apologize for the commotion, but I needed your attention_," Lucius spoke the language of the dementor.

"_What isss it you desssire_," the dementor whispered back.

"_I need to be released from this prison. I have a plan that will make the takeover of the Dark Lord look like the reign of Cornelius Fudge. If I'm successful, the dementors will have a far more powerful place in society than guarding this pile of rocks._"

"_How can we trussst you?_" the dementor asked.

"_You're going to have to take my word. I'm a maximum security prisoner, you know that I'm a powerful wizard. I can't carry out my plan if I'm stuck here. But if I do manage to take over, I will need the dementors to strike fear into those who would oppose me. I need you in more ways than one._" Lucius was lying through his teeth, but he hoped the dementor wouldn't catch wind of it. He didn't want a fearful populace, simply an ignorant one.

"_I will allow you thisss. But you mussst not forget usss. We have a long memory._"

With the final chilling statement, the dementor opened the door to Lucius' cell and flew out. Lucius followed, almost running to keep up. The dementor led him to a point beyond the cell walls where there was a small boat anchored. The dementor pointed to the boat and Lucius got in it and went.

The little motorboat was a rickety thing. Lucius was surprised that it even started. He didn't know what direction to go, so he followed the direction that the boat was pointed. He was pleasantly surprised to find that it took only a quarter of an hour to reach the mouth of the Thames, which he followed into London.

It was only when he disembarked from the boat that Lucius realized how he looked. He hadn't had a bath in five years, and while his hair had been cut several times to keep the lice out, it hadn't been washed in that long as well. He was still wearing his prison rags.

There was no question of where he would go. There was only one person he could trust to protect him, ironically the same witch who threatened to keep him locked up forever. Hermione Granger.

________________________________________________________________________

Hermione Granger had just gotten home from the worst day of her life. Not only had she been forced to visit a prison and interview five of the most reviled criminals of the war, but she had been fired on top of it.

All she wanted was a cup of tea and a bath. She put the water on for tea and started to run the water for her bath.

As she lay back in the bubbles she thought back over her last two interviews. Dolohov's warnings about Lucius Malfoy rung in her head. She knew that it was only a matter of time before the Minister sent another minion to 'interview' Malfoy and grant him a hearing.

She was confused about the conversation that she'd had with the man though. He had scared her, although she didn't think he'd noticed, but he'd also intrigued her. Almost to a frightening level. She wanted to understand more about the power that he longed for. The power that he had offered to share with her.

After she emptied the tub and finished her tea she sent owls to her parents, Harry, and her dear friend Luna, informing them all of the events of the day and asking them to please allow her some time before visiting or calling. She needed time to grieve for her job.

Just as she had sent the last owl off, she heard a disturbance at the front door. The doorman was arguing with some sort of tatty criminal. Hermione had no desire to watch the pain of the poor drunk so she cast a silencing spell on the window and began to knit a woolen scarf.

Just as she was finishing the third row, she heard a loud knock on her door, accompanied by a male shout,

"Miss Granger, open this door right now!"

Hermione was terrified, she didn't recognize the voice, but she never had unexpected shouting visitors. Particularly not ones who called her Miss Granger. Another shout interrupted her fearful thoughts.

"Open this door or I swear to Merlin I'll blast it away."

Seeing no alternative, Hermione took out her wand in preparation to fight, she had to protect her Muggle neighbors from the lunatic in the hallway. She crept towards the door and flung it open, ready to duel.

________________________________________________________________________

Lucius Malfoy flung his body through the door the moment it opened.

"Put that wand away you bloody little fool, I'm unarmed." He shouted at her crossly.

Hermione couldn't move, she was frozen to the spot. She was more scared than she had ever been facing Voldemort. Lucius Malfoy had promised she'd regret it if she didn't try to get him out of Azkaban, and now less than six hours later, he was in her home.

"Miss Granger, I'm not going to murder you, if that's why you look so frightened. I simply need a place to stay, and as you're the closest thing to a friend I have in the world, I decided to impose on you."

That statement unfroze Hermione.

"What do you mean 'impose on me'? You can't stay here! And we are certainly not friends. Go stay with your son. Or some other Death Eater."

"As I told you Miss Granger, my son is busy pretending I don't exist. And the other Death Eaters would turn me in for reductions in the sentences of their loved ones. You're my only hope."

"Well that's too damn bad Malfoy. You can't stay here. I'll call the Ministry and have them put you right back."

"That's where you're wrong, Miss Granger. Don't you remember? Earlier, you slipped up and told me that your boss would fire you if you didn't recommend me for a hearing. The Minister of Magic does not want me in Azkaban. No one will search for me"

"Then why can't you go home Malfoy?"

"My house is blocked, and all my assets are frozen. I'm still technically a convicted felon."

"Then you should go back to prison where you belong. How the hell did you escape anyway?"

"That is none of your business, Miss Granger."

The two of them stood, staring at each other, neither willing to be the first to back down. It was then that Hermione noticed that Lucius was as dirty as he'd been at the prison.

"Well if you're going to stay here, you need to take a bath. And I can transfigure some of Ron's old robes to fit you, I suppose."

"I knew you were a soft enough touch to let me stay."

"I just want to keep an eye on you Malfoy. And since, thanks to you, I no longer have a job, that will be perfectly easy."

With that, she led him to the bathroom, and instructed him not to use her body wash. She left him and went to the trunk where she kept her few memories of Ron, and transfigured an old dressing gown and a pair of robes. Far from the style that Malfoy was likely used to, but a vast improvement over his prison garb.

________________________________________________________________________

Hermione waited impatiently as Malfoy bathed. She was unsurprised that he took so long, not having been clean for five years, but she was anxious to question him further about his escape. He finally emerged, wearing Ron's dressing gown, looking cleaner and smelling better, but still horribly thin.

Hermione was sitting on a sofa in the living room of her small apartment waiting for him.

"Would you like a cup of tea, or something to eat?" she asked him.

"I would appreciate both. As you can imagine, Azkaban was not amenable to my creature comfort requirements."

Hermione got up and went to the kitchen, preparing two mugs of tea and a plate of food for Malfoy. When she returned to the living room she found him comfortably seated on a recliner, looking more at home than she felt in the small room.

She handed him the tea and food and thought about where to start with the questions rocketing around her head. She settled on the first that she had thought of.

"How long are you going to be staying here Malfoy?"

He looked up from his plate for the first time, surprised that she would be questioning him at all.

"I don't know, until I have amassed enough supporters to carry out my plans, I suppose. Should I take that to mean you're allowing me to stay?"

"Against my better judgement, yes, I'm going to allow you to stay, but if you think that I am going to allow you to recreate yourself as a Dark Lord… Well you're way off then."

"Not only will you allow it Miss Granger, but you will assist me. Once I tell you of my plans, you will agree that it is the only way the Wizarding world can continue."

"What are you talking about? You know that I would never help you!"

"Oh you'll see. Even if I have to place the Imperius Curse on you, you'll help me."

Hermione tried valiantly not to let him see how much those words affected her. The Imperius Curse could destroy her life, depending on what Malfoy asked of her. She chose to respond bravely and hope he wouldn't notice her shaking.

"Well I'd like to see you do that without a wand. If you had yours, you wouldn't have needed to fight with my doorman or bang on my door."

"_Imperio!_" Malfoy shouted at her, pointing his hands.

Hermione felt a dreamy, sleepy sensation overwhelm her. She heard Malfoy's voice, high in her head and could think of no reason not to follow his instructions.

"Come to me. Kneel before me. Tell me that I am your Master."

Hermione followed all of his instructions, a small voice somewhere telling her that she didn't really want to do those things, but the dreamy feeling was too good to ignore. After a minute she heard Malfoy's voice again, this time outside of her dream world.

"_Finite Incantatum_"

Hermione jolted out of the dream forcefully, losing balance and catching herself on her hands. Malfoy's laughter filled the room, as Hermione scrambled off her hands and knees to return to her seat. It took several minutes before she could trust herself to speak without revealing how upset she was.

"So you can do wandless magic. I should have known. Was that something they taught you at Death Eater training?"

"Now Miss Granger, don't be spiteful. I could teach you to do that too. I can also teach you to throw off the Imperius Curse, so you never find yourself in such an undignified position again. All you have to do is join with me."

For a split second, Hermione was tempted. All of the knowledge that this powerful man possessed being laid at her feet. But the price was too high.

"No, Malfoy. I can't compromise myself like that. I ask you not to put me under the curse again. I will see you in the morning. There is a guest room down the hall, second door on the right."

She went to her room, thinking about what a mistake she had made, allowing such a powerful Dark wizard into her home. She didn't know of anything she could say to rid herself of him however. Now that Lucius Malfoy was here, he was here to stay, she rather thought.

________________________________________________________________________

Lucius sat in the living for quite awhile after Hermione went to bed. He knew that he had almost convinced her to join him with the temptation of great knowledge. He would have to prove to her that he didn't want power in the way that the Dark Lord had it.

He would have to explain his plans to her. Lucius hated to rely on anyone, but he knew that to gain the support he needed, he would require someone of impeccable background. Someone who was trusted entirely by the Wizarding world. Someone the exact opposite of himself.

Her reaction under the Imperius curse surprised him though. He had expected her to fight him, maybe even throw it off entirely. She hadn't even come close. It was disappointing to him, because for all his words, the last way that he wanted her support was if she had been Imperius'd.

His crafty mind continued to work, even as he went to sleep. Plots swirled around in his head, but none were right for this witch. He continued to work for the one plan that would work for Hermione Granger. Finally the elusive detail that he had worked to remember, caught his mind.

Her loneliness was the key to winning her loyalty. He knew that she had been alone even before he had been sent to Azkaban. And there was clearly no man waiting in the wings.

_Lucius Malfoy was going to seduce Hermione Granger._


	4. Chapter 4

_Lucius Malfoy was going to seduce Hermione Granger._

The thought was ludicrous. But something within him told him that this was the only way to gain her trust and her silence, should something go wrong.

And there was no way that he wouldn't enjoy it.

* * *

Hermione stayed in bed much longer than she ordinarily would, but her unwanted houseguest continued to intrude on her thoughts. She knew that she had to get him out of her apartment, and soon.

She worried, however, about what would become of things when she could no longer keep an eye on him. She was still unsure of what he would do. She realized that she needed to know his plans.

She had no doubt that he would tell her, he had insinuated as much the previous night. She knew that there was a difference between knowing and _knowing_ though. She needed to be in on every aspect of his plans.

Hermione knew what she had to do, she could pretend that it would be a sacrifice for the well being of the Wizarding world, but she knew that she would enjoy this particular sacrifice.

She was going to seduce Lucius Malfoy.

* * *

With that thought firmly ensconced in her mind, she decided to dress well for the coming day. She showered, using her favorite body wash. She tamed her hair as well as she could, because it was a difficult task at the best of times. She even put on a little makeup, something that she never did.

After she finished her ablutions, she went to her closet. She decided on muggle clothing, as it revealed more of her body. She couldn't quite reject her conservative tastes however, and chose a knee length pencil skirt and blazer, both cream colored.

Walking out into the kitchen, she was surprised to find Lucius already awake and cooking breakfast.

"I didn't realize you knew how to cook?" she phrased it as a question, due to her shock.

"I picked up a thing or two from the house elves. Being a Dark Wizard is hardly a full time job. As I'm sure you're aware."

Hermione couldn't think of any response to that. She merely sat down at the table and waited for him to finish cooking. Neither of them spoke for several long minutes until Lucius broke the silence.

"Would you like orange juice, or cranberry?"

"Orange thank you." she replied, surprised by his politeness.

"That was my choice as well. I guess we have something in common after all."

Without thinking, Hermione responded, "I don't know about that, we have a great deal in common from what I can see." She could have slapped herself. There was something about this man that caused her to speak without thinking first.

"Perhaps you're correct. We were both the victims of faithless mates. We both feel the lust of power, I simply act upon it and you are repulsed by it."

Sensing a chance to further her aims of seducing him, she countered, "I wouldn't say I'm repulsed. Everything in my past warns me against it, but I can't help but long to _know_. To feel the power coursing through me."

Lucius was surprised by the turn of events, but he felt as though he could seduce her with more ease than he had originally thought.

"Does that mean you're interested in my offer of knowledge? Will you allow me to teach you to throw of the Imperius Curse? To do wandless magic?"

"I will allow you to teach me. But don't think that I'll join you. I only want to learn, I have no desire to become Dark."

They both sat, eating eggs and congratulating themselves on how well their plans were working. Neither realizing that their aims were one.

* * *

After breakfast, they found themselves in the living room. Lucius wanted to teach Hermione how to throw off the Imperius Curse first. Hermione acquiesced, but not without a short argument, she wanted to retain control of their lessons.

"Now Miss Granger, I'm going to start by requesting that you do innocuous things, lift a vase, twirl in a circle. You will have to find your own voice within the fog. Try to shout 'no' to my voice."

"Okay Malfoy."

"_Imperio_!"

Hermione felt the fog descend over her again. She was at peace with the world.

"Lift the vase and carry it to the table" She heard his commanding voice inside her dream.

Hermione went to obey, but remembered vaguely that same voice telling her to fight, not a minute before. She didn't understand how to fight, so she simply obeyed the command that the voice had given her. After she had placed the vase on the table she heard the echoing voice again.

"Give me your wand"

This time, Hermione wanted to fight the voice. She knew in the depths of her consciousness that she didn't want to give her wand away and she tried to fight the voice by refusing, but to no avail. She slowly walked towards the voice and handed her wand. Her mind fighting her body every step of the way. She was beginning to feel frustration. The dreamy fog was no longer a place of safety and comfort.

"Kiss me" the voice commanded

Hermione's entire being refused to be commanded to kiss someone.

"NO!" the word ripped from her painfully, but she felt the fog rise and looked up into Lucius' smiling face.

"I just had to give you a command that was completely repulsive to you. I thought that giving up your wand would do it, but apparently kissing a Death Eater was your final straw." His smile fell at the last.

"No, I would never be able to kiss anyone when commanded. Death Eater or no. The idea of kissing you isn't repulsive to me Lucius." She blushed as she said this, embarrassed, but unwilling to let go of this chance to further her seduction of him.

Lucius couldn't believe his luck that Hermione didn't find him repulsive. He knew that seducing her wouldn't be easy, but if she was attracted to him, it would only go that much quicker. He sat down on the couch and said,

"If you're not repulsed by me then prove it. Kiss me now, of your own free will." He knew that he was taking a gamble, if she didn't kiss him now, he would have a much harder time convincing her to do so in the future.

To both of their surprise, Hermione walked over to him, climbed up on his lap and pressed her lips to his. For a moment they didn't move, stunned, but then Lucius took control, deepening the kiss. Coaxing her mouth open with his tongue, playing with her mouth. They kissed for a long time, neither of them willing to forego their aims of seduction.

Hermione was surprised by the lack of skill in Lucius' kiss. She was unimpressed and disappointed. She'd hoped that seducing him would be a pleasant task, but it seemed as though it was going to be a hardship after all. She hadn't put anything into the kiss, because it was all business for her, but she'd expected Lucius to care a bit more.

Lucius was also upset by how unpleasant the kiss was. He had never been the recipient of such a half hearted attempt. He didn't even try to stop her, when Hermione slid to the floor and went to her bedroom without a word.

* * *

Hermione lay flat on her bed, looking up at the ceiling wondering what had gone wrong. She'd thought that she could carry out her seduction plan, but she had expected Lucius to be somewhat competent in that area. She hadn't planned on needing any of her own passion, she assumed he'd have enough for the both of them.

She considered going back to the drawing board with regards to her original plan.

All she needed to do was to keep Lucius Malfoy from rising as the new Dark Lord. She couldn't contact the Ministry because the Minister wanted him free. She couldn't contact her friends, because they would contact the Ministry.

She was totally alone in this and she didn't know what to do.

After fretting for quite some time, she decided to continue with her original plan but instead of seducing him, she'd merely try to keep him in her house by going along with his plans. He'd been thrilled when she had agreed to learn to throw off the Imperius curse.

Hermione felt so stupid for even thinking that she could seduce Lucius Malfoy in the first place. A man of his stature has surely been with hundreds of women, a little sex wouldn't convince him to do as she wanted.

She lay there so long that she eventually fell into a sleep.

* * *

Lucius was still frozen on the couch. He didn't know what to do about his plan for seduction. Hermione Granger was obviously one of the worst lovers in all of England if her kiss was any example. He needed a new plan.

As he contemplated the alternatives, the only plot that he could formulate was to just continue as things were going. Remain in the apartment with Granger and continue to try to get her to his side. He needed her more than he had realized. He had read some old copies of the Daily Prophet that she had lying around and came to see that the more important issue currently was blood.

If a pureblood wanted support he would need to enlist the help of a mudblood to gain the trust of the wizarding community at large. And vice versa. Lucius was coming to understand why the Minister had wanted him freed from Azkaban. Having Granger working in his office gave him the credibility of the muggleborns, but despite Shaklebolt being half-blood, he didn't have anyone around him who was from an old pure family. The Malfoy money probably didn't hurt either.

* * *

When Hermione awoke several hours later, she walked out into the living room to find Malfoy asleep with a copy of the Daily Prophet on his chest. She didn't blame him for wanting to catch up on the events in the Wizarding World that he had doubtless missed out on due to being in Azkaban. She however, needed to get to the grocery store and had no intention of leaving him alone in her home.

"Oi Malfoy, wake up, we need to get going!"

Lucius jolted awake, and for a moment, Hermione felt bad for him. Then he smirked that smirk that she hated so much and she was reminded of who she was and who he was. She pulled out her wand and transfigured the robes as they were on his body into muggle clothes.

"Miss Granger, why did you do that?" he asked, with a semblance of politeness.

"We need to go to the grocery store to get food, and I'm not leaving you alone in my house."

"You have to buy your own food?" Malfoy asked, with only a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes, of course I do. And if you were any sort of gentleman you'd offer to pay because you eat twice what I do. But I can't expect too much from a convicted felon."

"I would so offer, but as you are well aware, my assets are frozen until such time as I am technically released from prison."

"I guess you wouldn't walk into Gringotts and make a withdrawal. Let's get going" Hermione admitted grudgingly.

They walked in silence to the street where Hermione had parked her car. She also remembered to _Obliviate_ the doorman on the way out, so he would have no memory of Lucius forcing his way into the building the previous night. Hermione unlocked the doors and was unsurprised that Lucius had no idea what to do once in a car.

"You have to fasten your seatbelt Malfoy. Take the metal fastening to your left, and hook it into this clasp here." Hermione had to physically fasten his seatbelt, trying not to laugh as she did so. She knew that he would be upset and embarrassed, and it was in her best interests to keep Malfoy as happy as possible. He seemed to ignore any bad feelings he had about riding in a car, and seemed fascinated by the radio.

"You know, we wizards have a wireless, but it's nothing like this. You have to turn a knob, but with this you can press a button and see what number station you're on. It's quite ingenious really!" Malfoy gushed about the radio for several more minutes until Hermione interrupted him.

"You know Malfoy, you sound exactly like Arthur Weasley whenever he's around a muggle device that he hasn't used before." Her words had the desired effect and Malfoy immediately stopped pressing buttons at random and sat back and appeared to be sulking.

"Oh don't sulk, you know that it's the truth." Hermione snapped at him to get him out of his pity party.

"I'm not sulking, I'm just insulted that you could compare me to that muggle loving blood-traitor."

"Watch it Malfoy, even though Ron and I are no longer together, I'm still very close to the Weasley family. In fact, Ginny is married to Harry."

"Ah Ginny. How well I remember her…" Malfoy's face was almost dreamlike, "She could have been the salvation of all."

"Oh shut it Malfoy, you nearly killed me, her, Harry, and several others that year. But I guess I should thank you, if you hadn't given Ginny the Horcrux, it may never have been destroyed."

"The punishment I received for allowing that to happen was one of the worst that I remember from all my years as a Death Eater. I didn't realize why at the time, but I daresay that the circumstances should have been taken into consideration at my trial. I could have been acquitted you know."

"Oh stuff it Malfoy. You just wanted the heir of Slytherin to return, you had no designs on 'saving the Wizarding world'."

"How right you are Miss Granger. But if I had retained the diary… The Dark Lord could still be here. And you and I might not be."

* * *

They passed the remainder of the ride in silence, both lost in their own thoughts about Voldemort, Tom Riddle, and the diary that could have been the salvation of the Pureblood fanatics. Hermione found herself oddly grateful to Lucius for the role that he inadvertently played in Voldemort's downfall. Lucius was thinking the same thing, except that he was grateful that he had caused Voldemort to be defeated so that he could rise in the Dark Lords stead.

When they reached the grocery store, Lucius was once again fascinated by the muggle electronics, including the automatic door.

"There's no handle… How do I open this door?"

"It opens by itself, Malfoy." She walked through the door, demonstrating. Lucius followed just behind, impressed.

She started in the produce section, picking out the things that she liked, Malfoy occasionally making a suggestion. Things went incredibly smoothly until Hermione ran into a neighbor who tended to be chatty as well as touchy-feely.

"Why Hermione darling, how are you this afternoon? I haven't seen you in days!" Jim was a good looking muggle in his late twenties and he had developed something of a crush on Hermione.

"I'm fine Jim, I'm in a bit of a hurry though…" She tried to rush him off, but he interrupted her.

"I'm sure you have time for a little visit with a neighbor. Now what did I hear last night, was there a man banging on your door? Do you need me to stay with you?" At that moment he became aware of Lucius standing slightly behind her. "Or not…"

"No, I'm perfectly fine Jim, as I've told you several times I don't need to be looked after."

Lucius smoothly broke in, "I'm grateful that my lady friend has such valiant defenders, after all, I can't be around all the time."

Both Hermione and Jim gaped at him. He simply smirked at Jim and began to push the cart in another direction, "Come along darling, we've almost finished" he called behind him.

Hermione and Jim said their goodbyes and she rushed after Lucius, anxious for a confrontation.

"Why did you say that?!"

"My dear Miss Granger, was I wrong in my assumption that you don't want that muggle peering about your home? Are you attracted by his youth and looks?"

"No Malfoy, that's not it, I just don't want you telling people that we're involved. It could get back to our world. The ramifications could be enormous."

"We are already involved Granger. You're sheltering me from the law. Oh I know you don't see it that way, but that's the truth of it."

"I'm only doing it to keep you from appointing yourself Voldemort the second. Don't ever think I'm doing it for you."

"I would never make that mistake Miss Granger." he whispered menacingly, "and you would do well not to mistake me for someone that you can walk over. Never push me, I might push back."

Hermione, a little frightened by his sudden change from debonair billionaire, to cruel felon, allowed the rest of the shopping trip and the ride home to pass in silence. She didn't know what to make of Malfoy. He was a mass of contradictions.

_And she was beginning to realize how frightened she should be of him._


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: This chapter is a bit on the short side, but I really wanted to end it at the point that I did. I also want to apologize for any grammatical errors. I don't use a beta reader and I wrote this on no sleep. I'll try to be a bit more prompt with updates now that the weddings that I'm in are finished. As always, I appreciate reviews and any suggestions that any readers might have. I'm trying to write a story that I would like to read, and I want it to be what you all want as well. :-)

* * *

Hermione unpacked the groceries, still in silence. Her quick mind was working a mile a second, trying to figure out the man that she had let into her house. She didn't understand how he could change so quickly into the man who frightened her. And which was the real man?

She pulled out several ingredients and started to cook dinner, wondering when Lucius would make an appearance. He didn't disappoint. When she was about halfway through preparing the meal, he walked in to her kitchen and sat down at the counter, as though he'd been doing it for years.

"What are you cooking?" he asked her, with a strange smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"Nothing fancy, I'm afraid, just some spaghetti and meatballs. I can make garlic bread too if you really need it, but I don't think that it's necessary. And I have some of the fresh fruit that we bought at the market for dessert."

"You know, I don't remember Narcissa ever cooking a meal, in all the years that we were married. Of course the house elves were adequate as chefs, but there is something intimate about preparing a meal for two."

Hermione ignored the implication of his statement and continued to cook. "My mother always insisted on cooking at least one meal of the day for us. We usually had breakfast together, but there was no guarantee on when they would both be home." She continually surprised herself by opening up to this man, who she knew would kill her as soon as look at her if she seriously got in his way.

"I wonder if that wasn't what was missing from my relationship with Narcissa and Draco. We never spent any time together. Well, except for those times that the Dark Lord required us to be together."

"I can tell how much you miss your son, Mr. Malfoy." She didn't mean anything by it except what was laid out in the open. She really didn't understand how the man could be without his only child during such an important time in his life.

"I've told you several times that I don't wish to discuss Draco. What can I do to beat it into your head?"

"I'm sorry." and she really was sorry, no one should be separated from their child in such a way. "I think that you might be more affable if you were to get it off your chest. I felt better after discussing Ron's betrayal with someone. I understand that you don't want to talk with me though."

They were both silent for a long time after that, the only sounds were those of the meatballs sizzling away in the skillet.

Hermione felt bad for him, but she knew that until he was ready to discuss his son, there would be no discussion. She also couldn't forget the overwhelming fear that she had felt with his abrupt mood swing. She didn't want to converse with him, for fear that he would turn on her once again. He had already proved that he was capable of wandless magic and she was sure that there was brute physical strength in those shoulders and arms of his. Neither of them spoke until she was draining the spaghetti.

"I hope that you didn't put mushrooms in the sauce, I abhor mushrooms," Lucius said without prelude.

Hermione replied, "I didn't, as it happens I hate mushrooms as well. I think they taste like dirt." She thought to herself that they were finding more and more things that they had in common, even something as trivial as food preferences. It was a slightly alarming fact that she could share so much with such an obviously dark wizard.

Lucius articulated her thoughts, "Well Miss Granger, it seems that we are finding more in common with every passing conversation."

"That's the truth. It's rather alarming to be honest with you."

"Oh don't be honest with me girl, what's the fun in that?" He said it was a straight face and flat voice, but Hermione got the sense that he was making a joke with her. She responded in kind.

"I'm rarely honest, Mr. Malfoy. Remember that."

"I will endeavor to do so." He abruptly shifted gears, as though shocked by the turn the conversation had taken, "Dinner looks okay, Miss Granger. I'm amazed that you can cook without the aid of a wand."

"Well like I said, my mother always insisted on eating as a family whenever possible."

"I find myself grateful for that. There is something comforting about this dish."

"Well they do call it comfort food…" Hermione trailed off, realizing that Malfoy had probably never heard the muggle term for food that gives one a sense of comfort and well-being.

"Comfort food?"

"It's a muggle term, it means food that brings back comforting memories and makes you feel good when you eat it. Many simple dishes including pastas and potatoes tend to be comfort food. The types are different for each person, depending on how they were brought up."

"I was brought up in a pureblood home where the house elves cooked food appropriate for the occasion. I don't believe that I have ever found any comfort in eating."

"Well that explains why there aren't obese purebloods," Hermione attempted to joke.

"How does that follow, Miss Granger? There are several that I can think of."

"I was simply making the point that many muggles claim that emotional eating is the cause for their weight gain, if you aren't comforted by food, then it follows that you wouldn't turn to food when you aren't hungry."

"I suppose that your little theory works for the Malfoy family. But many purebloods don't have the financial backing that my family enjoys. Including your boyfriend Weasley."

"There's something I've wondered for a long time Malfoy. Why do you consider purebloods to be superior? I know that you think Ron's family are blood traitors, but you still consider them higher than someone like me. What is the reason for that? Do you think that you have more magical power, having had said powers longer? I could counter that I've been a witch my entire life." Hermione broke off, wondering if she'd gone too far again, but still curious as to his answer.

"I don't know how to answer your question Miss Granger. I could counter that purebloods have more inherent magical power, but you yourself are proof that some muggle borns have more power than certain purebloods. I suppose it's a function of having been bred for magic. Even the Weasley's raise their children magically, they have a deep understanding that magic is a part of their lives. Something that you could never have, no matter what you do. You consciously know that you're a witch, but some times, late at night, you still wonder if you're going to wake up as an eleven year old and find this world to have been a dream."

Hermione had begun to dish out the spaghetti as she thought about her response. His answer made logical sense, and in truth she had done what he mentioned, and wondered if the magical world was all a dream. She finally found the hole in his argument.

"You say that it's all a cause of being raised magic, but I would raise my children magically, and you would still consider them to be of tainted blood. Whereas Voldemort was raised as a muggle, and you crawled on your knees to him." she knew that she had gone too far as soon as she said it. She had meant to provoke him, but his face had lost all color and his eyes had lost any congeniality they had contained.

"I suggest you choose your next words very wisely Miss Granger. I do not take well to being maligned."

"I apologize for my final statement, but I will not retract it. I stand by what I said, your argument is fundamentally flawed."

Lucius looked as though he had just lost a great war internally. He was as angry at himself as he was at Hermione.

"I realize that. I have long known that purebloods are no different than muggle borns. The only advantage purebloods have is politically, although having read the back issues of the Prophet, I see that muggle borns are just as necessary now."

"So you're finished posturing? Will you finally be honest with me?"

"I think that the time has come for that. I think that it's time to tell you my plan."


End file.
